 As we return to our study of the book of Revelation, would you please turn with me to Revelation chapter 7? Revelation chapter 7, and I will be reading the entire chapter this evening. Revelation chapter 7 verses 1 through 17. Revelation chapter 7 verses 1 through 17, hear the word of God. After this, I saw four angels standing at the four corners of the earth, holding back the four winds of the earth, so that no wind would blow on the earth or on the sea or on any tree. And I saw another angel ascending from the rising of the sun, having the seal of the living God, and he cried out with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, Do not harm the earth or the sea or the trees until we have sealed the bond-servants of our God on their foreheads. And I heard the number of those who were sealed. 144,000 sealed from every tribe of the sons of Israel. From the tribe of Judah, 12,000 were sealed. From the tribe of Reuben, 12,000. From the tribe of Gad, 12,000. From the tribe of Asher, 12,000. From the tribe of Nestle, 12,000. From the tribe of Manasseh, 12,000. From the tribe of Simeon, 12,000. 12,000, from the tribe of Levi, 12,000, from the tribe of Issachar, 12,000, from the tribe of Zebulun, 12,000, from the tribe of Joseph, 12,000, from the tribe of Benjamin, 12,000 were sealed. After these things, I looked and behold a great multitude which no one could count from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes and palm branches were in their hands, and they cry out with a loud voice saying, salvation to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb. And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures and they fell on their faces before the throne and worship God saying, amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever, amen. Then one of the elders answered saying to me, these who are clothed in the white robes who are they and where have they come from? I said to him, my Lord, you know, and he said to me, these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason they are before the throne of God and they serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. They will hunger no longer nor thirst any more nor will the sun beat down on them. Nor any heat for the Lamb is the center of the throne in the center of the throne will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of the water of life and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Amen. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, as we consider your word, we praise you because you have concealed us, your people, and you preserve, persevere, and protect each one of us. We praise you for this. And Lord, we worship you because we know that we are now redeemed and we will ultimately be redeemed for our good and your glory. In Christ's name we pray. Amen. Anybody in here ever read a series of unfortunate events by Lemony Snicket? I really like that series. I've read parts of them with my daughter. And there's one point in one of the books, well, it's in the first book. I can't remember which character said it, but he says, I don't know if you've ever noticed this, but first impressions are often entirely wrong. And when you read Revelation chapter 7, I'm going to guess that your first impression is entirely wrong. Particularly as we look at the 144,000. So this week, what I want to focus on is who the 44,000 is, and the way we're going to do this is by taking a look at the book of Revelation and seeing how the redeemed in the book of Revelation are described. Now the chapter is broken really in two parts. And in essence here is if you wanted to boil down the application of the text, because we're going to look at a lot of passages, Old Testament, New Testament passages, starting in the book of Revelation and then working out. But I don't want you to miss the point of the chapter this week and the next week. I think I'll preach the whole chapter if not it'll be three weeks. I'll deal with this text. But this evening, I want to move the, it's not an objection, but I want to address the issue that may be a stumbling block in applying and understanding the text properly. And that is who are the 144,000. And we know why we're doing this, right? So historically, when this book was preached in this church, it was preached as a dispensationless would. So we want to deal with these issues like the 144,000 or when the great tribulation takes place, address them from the text clearly so that as we preach and apply the text, it's understandable. So Revelation 7, 1 through 8, the point is this ceiling, that God seals his saints. And he does this to protect them through judgment, through the judgment that is coming upon that has come and is coming upon this world. Verses 9 through 17 focuses upon the song of the saints. And they sing to God because they have prevailed. They have prevailed. And because they have prevailed, they are now in heaven, worshiping before the throne. So the ceiling of the saints versus 1 through 8, and then the song of the saints, they were protected on earth by the seal of God. And they entered heaven where they worship God. But now, this week, more from the text, but more topically, who are the 144,000? It's assumed by the dispensationalists that the 144,000 are 144,000 literal Jews who are saved during the tribulation. Now this presupposes that there is a pre-tribulational rapture and that the church doesn't go through the tribulation. And if you've stuck with us this year as we work through Daniel and the Olivet Discourse and the books that we've read during small group, I think any reasonable Christian would come to the conclusion that there is no pre-tribulational rapture. So if that's the case, then the presupposition is wrong. And just the plain reading of Revelation chapter 7, there is no rapture. There is no pre-tribulational rapture described or explained or hinted towards in the text itself. We've seen that in chapter 6, there is no pre-tribulational rapture. And in chapter 5, there is no pre-tribulational rapture. Chapter 4 and 5 explain what happens at the ascension of Christ. And Revelation chapter 6 lays out the course of history as the Messiah pours out His judgments upon His enemies and preserves His people during that time. Chapter 7 makes it very explicit how His people are preserved. They are preserved by the seal of God. So they are the redeemed of God. And let's take a look at how the redeemed of God are described in the book of Revelation. So look at chapter 7, this text in verse 3. So we hear a voice. So first look structurally. Let's see this first. I think it's helpful. John hears the number of those who are sealed. Does he see them? He doesn't see them. He hears the number. And then when he looks to see, verse 9, what does he see? 144,000? Look at the text. He sees a great multitude. He doesn't see 144,000. Same thing that happens in chapter 5. He hears from an angel, the lion of the tribe of Judah has overcome. He hears it. And then when he looks to see, what does he see? A lamb. He doesn't see the lion. So first structurally or visionary language is important. Understanding visionary language is very important. And chapter 7, verse 3, these are those who are sealed, the sealed bond-servants of God. And they're sealed on their foreheads. Verse 4, I heard the number of those who were sealed. Look at chapter 9, verse 4, chapter 9, verse 4. And this is the trumpets now are being blown, the fifth trumpet, and we see the bottomless pit open. Verse I will read from verse 3, then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. So those who are going through this period of tribulation where these judgments are coming upon the earth, those who do not have the seals will suffer the judgments. And the question you have to ask, well, what happens to those who are not sealed? Well, they suffer the judgments. And those who are sealed, they do not suffer the judgments that are coming upon the earth. And as we look at the book of Revelation, the multitude that enters heaven, enters heaven because of persecution, not because of the judgments that come upon the earth. They're preserved for the people of God are sealed through the judgments. So the way that the book of Revelation, one point, the way the book of Revelation describes the redeemed is that they are sealed. They are sealed. Now look at Revelation 14.1. And this is interesting because if you're, if we're reading the book of Revelation like a futurist or like a dispensationalist would, Jesus hasn't come back yet in Revelation chapter 14, right? He doesn't come back till Revelation 19, still in heaven. Yet, let's read from verse one, really I have my eye on verse three, but let's read from verse one. Then I looked and behold, the Lamb was standing on Mount Zion. And with him, 144,000 having his name and the name of his father written on their foreheads. This more than likely is the seal, his name and the name of his father written on their forehead. And for some reason now they're on Mount Zion. And I heard a voice from heaven like the sound of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder and the voice which I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps. And they sang a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders. And no one could learn the song except the 144,000 who had been purchased from the earth. This 144,000 who had been purchased on the earth are those who have the seal of God on their forehead and they sing the new song, the song of redemption. This is the song that was sung in Revelation chapter five after the lion lamb receives the scroll. Now look with me at chapter 20 verse four. Then I saw thrones and then I saw thrones and they sat on them and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image and had not received on their forehead and on their hand and they came to life and reign with Christ a thousand years. So there are those that received the mark on their hand and on their forehead. This was a satanic mark as opposed to the mark that was received by the 144,000. Now look back at chapter 13. The beast comes from the earth and if you look at chapter 13 verse 16 and he calls us all the small and the great and the rich and the poor and the free men and the slaves to be given a mark on their right hand and on their forehead. And he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell except the one who has the mark either the name of the beast or the number of his name. So unbelievers receive the mark. Believers don't receive the mark. Who are those who are in heaven? Those who don't have the mark and in verse 14 we are told how they're marked. They have the seal of his name, the name of the lamb and of his father on their forehead. So those who are in the book of Revelation, excuse me, those who are in Revelation chapter 20 verse 4 in heaven or at that point millennium ruling and reigning with Christ are those who don't have the mark of the beast, but those who have the mark and the seal of God, their father. And who are they? Well Revelation chapter 14 tells us they are the 144,000 which are all of the redeemed. Now look at Revelation chapter 22 verse 4 I'll read from verse 3 verse 3 22 3 there will no longer be any curse and the throne of God and of the lamb will be in it and his bond servants, remember that's how they were described in Revelation chapter 7, the bond servants who were sealed, his bond servants will serve him and they will see his face and his name will be on their foreheads and this is the eternal state now. This is every believer. So believers are those who are sealed and they have the mark of God upon their forehead. We're told that only the 144,000 have this field and are marked by the name, but then elsewhere we're told that all of the redeemed are sealed or have the mark on their forehead. Here are some other ways of referring to the redeemed in the book of Revelation and this sort of broadens our perspective as we move from chapter 7 to other places. If you look at Revelation chapter 1, Revelation chapter 1 and verse 6, now this goes along with the studies that we've been doing Sunday morning. If you've been coming Sunday morning, as we looked at the book of Acts, as we've looked at 1 Peter, as we've looked at Ephesians, as we looked at Romans 9 through 11 now, we have about maybe two or three more weeks in Romans 11. What we've seen in those texts is very clearly that there is no distinction between Jew or Greek that there is one people of God, one eschatological people of God and it's very clear that that one people is the church, or if you want to call that one people, the new Israel, call them the new Israel, but there is one people of God and the Old Testament descriptions, names, titles and promises that were given to the elect among the nation are applied and given to the church liberally in Christ. So now Revelation 1-6, and he has made us believers. He has made us to be a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever, amen. Where's that taking from? Revelation 19-6, when the people of Israel are coming out of the land of Egypt, listen to the words of Moses, or these might be directly the words of the Lord, but written by Moses, Exodus, Exodus, chapter 19, verse 6, verse 5, and now then, if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, then you shall be my own possession among all the peoples of all, excuse me, among all the peoples for all the earth is mine, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. Who's he talking about there? The nation of Israel. And now as we move forward into the New Testament, what people is given those titles and those names, the church, the church. When we looked at 1 Peter, we saw the same thing, the same text is applied in 1 Peter to the people of God. Look at Revelation chapter 5, Revelation chapter 5, and here's the new song, worthy are you to take the book and to break its seals for you were slain and you purchased for God with your blood, men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation, you have made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth. Who is this? The church, the church. So the description that was promised to the nation if they were obedient is applied to the church. Why? Because of her obedience, no, because of the obedience of the true Israel of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's see Isaiah 49 for that. Next. Next. This group, the redeemed in the book of Revelation, they're also given a new name. Look at Revelation 217, Revelation 217. He who has an ear, let him hear what the spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna and I will give him a white stone and a name, a new name written on the stone, which no one knows, but he who receives it. Look at 312, 312. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God and he will not go out from it anymore. And I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from my God and my new name. Remember the name that was going to be on the 144,000? The name of the Lamb and the name of God. If you're a dispensationalist, this text here is written to the churches. I thought only the 104,000 received the seal, which is the name of the Lamb and the name of God because the church is the 144,000. To take it a step further, these are Old Testament promises. These are Old Testament promises promised in the Old Testament to those who God kept for himself in the nation of Israel. Look at Isaiah 62, Isaiah 62, verses one and two. For Zion's sake, I will not keep silent. And for Jerusalem's sake, I will not keep quiet until her righteousness goes forth like brightness and her salvation like a torch that is burning. The nations will see your righteousness and all kings your glory and you will be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord will designate. Look at 65, Isaiah 65, 13. Therefore, thus says the Lord God, behold, my servants will eat, but you will be hungry. Behold, my servants will drink, but you will be thirsty. Behold, my servants will rejoice, but you will be put to shame. Sounds like what's going to happen during the Great Tribulation. Behold, my servants will shout joyfully with a glad heart, but you will cry out with a heavy heart and you will wail with a broken spirit. You will leave your name for a curse to my chosen ones and the Lord God will slay you, but my servants will be called by another name, by a new name. You see, these were promises given to the nation of Israel, and particularly, they were given to those who were foreknown by God in the nation, who would be saved at a future time. And since God in his mercy had also foreknown Gentiles, he stripped the olive tree of dead branches and he engrafted a wild olive tree. Therefore, the same promises, the same names, the same blessings that were foretold that would be given to the nation, they're given to us. It's not, it really isn't replacement theology. God had one olive tree. He never uprooted that tree. It is a fulfillment theology. So the sealed, where they're sealed on their forehead, the terms that are used and applied, so kingdom and priests, and then the new name. All of this is just wrong from Revelation 7, verses 1 through 6, except for the kingdom of priests, kingdom of priests. But now, as we look at the multitude, the same truths exist with the great multitude. You see that the terminology that's used for the great multitude, in the terminology used for them, there are specific applications of Old Testament promises that were made to ethnic Israel. Look at the great multitude. First, turn back to chapter 5, verse 9, because it's very clear that the great multitude are these who are saved. Listen to how they're described. It says, for you were slain, this is partway through verse 9 and chapter 5, verse 9 and chapter 5, for you were slain and purchased for God with your blood, men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. You made them a kingdom and priests. Now, the great multitude which no one could number, let's see where they're from, which no one could count from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues. This is the same group of people, the same group of people. Now, the terminology that's used that they are a great multitude, where does that come from? Look at Genesis chapter 13. In Genesis chapter 13, verse 16, this promise is given, I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth, so that if anyone can number the dust of the earth, then your descendants can also be numbered. Look at 15.5, and he took them outside and said, now look toward the heavens and count the stars. If you are able to count them, and he said to them, so shall your descendants be your seed. These particular texts don't have anything to do with the blessing going to the nations. The texts that I'm reading now have specifically to do with his descendants and those who would come from his own body. And of course, as we have seen particularly in Romans 9 through 11, the descendant of Abraham is the one who has the faith of Abraham. Look at 16.10, moreover, the angel of the Lord said to her, I will greatly multiply your descendants so that they will be too many to count. Genesis 16.10. One commentator put it this way, he says that the physical progeny of Abraham is in view in these texts. Yet the nations, very clearly, the nations in Revelation chapter 7, verse 9, are the fulfillment of this promise. They are the descendants of Abraham. They are, again, joined together with the Israelites that God foreknew they are the Israel of God. They are his eschatological people and they join in all of those promises. Look at Revelation chapter 5, I'm sorry, it's 7, Revelation chapter 7 and verse 17. It says, in Revelation 7.17, it says, for the lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of the water of life and God will wipe every tear from their eyes. Let's read verse 16 because there are some texts in Isaac. Well, we'll start there. Now, in Ezekiel, chapter 37, we're given a promise. Let's look at Ezekiel chapter 37 and verse 26. You shouldn't be troubled that the book of Revelation mixes metaphors, that the 144,000 are the great multitude because if you would get confused because there's a lamb who's a shepherd, shepherding sheep, talk about mixing metaphors. Look at Ezekiel chapter 37 and verse 26. And here, this is just like, these are texts in the Bible that help you interpret the Bible. So you have this Old Testament text and what's going to happen in this Old Testament text is very important. 37 and 26, I'll read from 24. My servant David will be king over them and they will have one shepherd and they will walk in my ordinances and keep my statutes and observe them. Remember in Revelation chapter 14, the 144,000, what do they do? They follow their shepherd wherever he goes. They are the lambs, little lambs. They will live on the land that I gave to Jacob my servant in which your fathers lived and they will live on it. Today and their sons forever and David, my servant, will be their prince forever. I will make a covenant of peace with them. It will be an everlasting covenant with them and I will place them and multiply them and will set my sanctuary in their midst forever. My dwelling place also will be with them and I will be their God and they will be my people. And the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel when my sanctuary is in their midst forever. Now that sanctuary, if we have the time to develop it, is God and the lamb. But the point to get to is I will be their God and they shall be my people. When my servant David comes to shepherd my sheep, that's the point in Revelation. The messianic king has been enthroned and he comes to shepherd his sheep, his people. He sets his tabernacle among them, his sanctuary among them. That's exactly what James says in Acts chapter 15 verses 15 through 18. When he sees a mass conversion of the Gentiles, he says, well, God is erecting the tabernacle of David, the tent of David. Why? Because the Gentiles are coming in. That's exactly what Revelation 7.17 says. Now look at Revelation 21.3 in light of this same theme, Revelation 21.3. Let me read 7.17 again. For the lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of water of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Revelation chapter 21 verse 3. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men and he will dwell among them. And they shall be his people and God himself will be among them. That's the same promise in the same text. And that's a promise for all God's people, not just for a select few. One more text. Now let's read 16 and 17 verses 16 and 17 in chapter 7. Read from verse 15. For this reason they are before the throne of God and they serve him day and night in his temple. And he who sits on the throne will spread his tabernacle over them. They will hunger no more, nor thirst any more, nor will the sun beat down on them any more. Nor any heat for the lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd and will guide them to springs of the water of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Look at Isaiah 49 verse 10. Isaiah 49 verse 10, who is among you that fears the Lord, that observes the voice of his servant, that walks, excuse me, that's 50, 49. They will not hunger or thirst, nor will the scorching heat or sun strike them down. For he who has compassion on them will lead them and will guide them to springs of water. Who will he guide? Israel. Who is the great multitude? Israel. Who is the 144,000? The great multitude. Look at Isaiah 25 verse 8. He will swallow up death for all time and the Lord will, God will wipe tears away from all faces. And he will remove the reproach of his people from all the earth for the Lord has spoken. Oh, as we wrap up here, why is it important to get this right? We don't want to have a misplaced hope. And where the dispensationalist is our brother. And if you're a member of this church and you're a dispensationalist, we welcome you and we'd love for you to continue with us till the Lord returns. But you have a misplaced hope. You have a misplaced hope and we want to hope in God rightly. And the way to do that is by faith, grasping, holding on to the promises of God. And if you read your Old Testament and you say, well, those promises aren't for me, then you're not able to get everything you should out of the Bible. So although for some, this may seem like just an academic exercise, understanding who the people of God are and the hope that God has given us and the things that we now hope for is crucial and essential for your Christian life. So brothers and sisters, remember, remember, for those of you that are here and maybe you're not a Christian, what Revelation chapter seven verses one through eight teaches is that God seals, preserves, protects and provides for his people. If you are outside of Christ, you have none of those things. Turn from your sins and believe in him. And what Revelation chapter seven verses nine through 17 teaches that if you have been sealed, when you pass from this life, whether of old age, of cancer, of martyrdom, whatever it is, you will enter into the very presence of God to worship him forever. If you are not sealed, you will be in his presence, but it will be for judgment and that judgment will be eternal. Find yourself among that number, the hundred and forty four thousand and then among the great multitude by turning to the Lord Jesus Christ. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, we thank you again, Lord, for this time in your word. And I pray that you would help us to continue to think about these things biblically, soundly, help us not to have a misplaced hope. Help us to hope rightly in Christ's name. I pray amen.